North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Convention

v. (grÖ west) a direct marketing journey of innovation and inspiration through Alberta's historic Cowboy Trail

NAFDMA Home Page

Back Forty

REGISTRATION

Printable Program

Schedule & Fees

On-Line Registration

BUS TOUR

WORKSHOPS

CONFERENCE SESSIONS

At-A-Glance

Speakers

TRADE SHOW

Vendor Registration

Our Exhibitors

SPECIAL EVENTS

Hospitality Night

Annual Meeting

Banquet

Awards & Contests

Brent Warner Roast

TRAVEL

Lodging

Food

See Calgary

Post Conference

CONFERENCE FAQs

Press Releases

Tam Andersen, Prairie Gardens

POSITION:  Owner of Prairie Gardens & Greenhouses and Chairperson of the Country Soul Stroll in Sturgeon County
COMPANY: Prairie Gardens & Greenhouses
AWARDS:    Farm Direct Marketer of the Year –2004
2006 Canada Economic Developers Association - Best General Marketing Publication - Visit the Country Guide
2005 Growing Alberta Leadership Award – Community Spirit
2004 Growing Alberta Leadership Award - Country Soul Stroll - Innovation
2003 Travel Alberta Finalist Alto Award - Marketing Country Soul Stroll

Tam Andersen is a horticulturalist and business owner. She is the recipient of the 2005 Community Spirit Award for her work with connecting agriculture with urban folk. She is also Direct Farm Marketer or the Year, 2004.  Over the past 21 years, she has continued to build her business, Prairie Gardens and Greenhouses, a horticultural and agri-tourism operation, just north of Edmonton at Bon Accord. Tam offers several on-farm festivals each year, and is involved in several Agri-tourism pilot projects – the Country Soul Stroll, and Visit the Country Guide. These award winning partnership initiatives (with up to 50 other farms) have been nominated for Travel Alberta Alto Awards for marketing, and the Country Soul Stroll is 2004 winner of the Alberta Agriculture – Growing Alberta Leadership Award in the category of Innovation, the Visit the Country Guide won a national award for Excellence in marketing partnerships from Economic Developers Association of Canada, and the Country Soul Stroll – “A Taste of the Stroll” feast of fields event, has received a national Special Project marketing award from the Economic Developers Association of Canada.

GALA Awards Backgrounder
Tam Andersen embodies the importance of the relationship between agriculture and the communities in which it thrives. Tam uses her U-Pick operations, Prairie Gardens and Greenhouses, to host local festivals brining urban and rural people together in a fun-filled celebration of all that agriculture has to offer. Despite the demands of her business and her young family, Tam selflessly and regularly gives her time and knowledge to her community of Bon Accord and the surrounding district of Sturgeon County, raising money for local charities and helping to organize local events such as the Country Soul Stroll and the Taste of the Stroll Dinner.

Carmen Andrew, Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural Development

Carmen is a member of the Ag Tourism Initiative of Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural Development. In her role, Carmen works primarily with the Ag Tourism Cluster Development Project. An ag tourism cluster is a group of like-minded stakeholders and market ready ag tourism operators in 7 key areas around the province who come together to increase the profile for their operations and geographic area, along an ag tourism theme.
   
Carmen resides and is actively involved in her small community of Delburne outside of Red Deer, Alberta. She has a very busy personal life with 2 young girls - Emma and Leah.

Joan has worked for the City of St. Albert for the past four years in the capacity of Tourism Development Coordinator. Developing a tourism sector in a city that is adjacent to the provincial capital is a challenge, however, Joan has discovered success working with her with rural partners developing ag tourism. One of the initiatives that Joan is most proud of is the Country Cuisine Event: A Taste of the Stroll that won the Marketing Award for Special Events at the 2005 EDAC Conference. Joan actively works with the following groups: Edmonton Regional Tourism Group, the Northern Alberta Heritage Trail, Visit the Country, Edmonton Countryside Spring Drive, and Country Christmas. Joan also leads a committee that is working on the development and implementation of a Tourism Master Plan for the City of St. Albert. Joan has a diploma in Tourism, a certificate in Economic Development and is a member of the Tourism Partnership Council.

 
Cathy Bartolic, Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association
 

Most people are talented in one or two directions, but here is a man who has so much experience and adaptability that he can fit in anywhere. In his career, Klaus has owned and operated a working and demonstration high density orchard. He has successfully run a tourism destination for everything from school visits to International tours.  He developed a processing department for juices, jams, jellies, dried apples, etc., and a bakery for pies, breads and other goodies as well as a small restaurant area. He oversaw the addition of an animal display area, a playground and a park for customers. Along with Brent Warner, he was responsible for the first Farm Direct Marketing group to be started in the Fraser Valley. He also put together the first Farm Direct Marketing brochure that is still going strong today.

In his many other careers, he has managed a Census area, provided extension services to Native farmers, conducted many workshops in skill development, business planning and public speaking. Klaus has managed the second largest rodeo in Canada, as well as an annual fair, livestock show and exhibitions and harness racing. 

Klaus ran an agriculture employment referral agency in the Fraser Valley. He identified training needs and mediated between employers and employees. This company also provided relief services for agricultural producers.

As a project manager for major industrial projects, Klaus estimated costs, scheduled and managed many large projects all over the north, western Canada and California.

Klaus can wire a house, weld a frame, milk a cow, castrate a bull, schmooze with anyone from a child to a Premier, dance like a pro, golf like a duffer, tell a good story, prune an orchard, build a barn, sew on a button, bake a cherry pie, read an income statement, “ab”use a computer, sing a song and fix almost anything (including your business!).

Michael Berger is the Founder and President of Plan B Services, a company engaged in Personal and Business Coaching, Corporate Training, along with Leadership and Teamwork Development. He works with small business owners that are full of ideas and need a plan to implement those ideas. He’s also known for his creative approach to solving problems and implementing new business ideas. Amongst his most powerful values, the desire to share knowledge stands tall.

He previously spent twenty years in the Information Technology field including nine years for Canada’s two largest credit unions. While there, he also worked two years as a Corporate Trainer.

Michael has been a local or national board member for virtually every organization he has belonged to from Industry Associations to Toastmasters. During the past number of years, he has spoken at conferences and events from Vancouver to Nashville and from Calgary to Orlando and points in-between.

Michael is a fun, positive speaker. He mixes humour with honesty, entertainment with experience, wit with wisdom.

For more information, contact Michael at 604-824-1803 or info@planbservices.ca.

Shelley Bradshaw, Beck Farm Ltd.

Along with my husband Rod and sons Kurt & Brent, we operate Beck Farms, a vegetable and grain farm just west of Inninsfail. After we married, Rod and I decided to move back to his family farm and work co-operatively with his father and brother growing grains, oilseeds, and raising purebred Angus Cattle. As grain prices dropped, Rod and I decided to venture out into the vegetable business, thus BECK FARMS was born. Rod continued to work with the family farm and I took on the day to day management of Beck Farms. Throughout the years Beck grow and changed. We expanded our on farm washing and bagging facility, and have had many changes in our marketing stratagies. Perhaps the most rewarding has been the development of Innisfail Growers, which we are proud members of. As our sons both express in interst in continuing to farm, we look forward to many more years in the vegetable industy, and working with our freinds, and neighbors in Innisfail Growers.

The Calgary Farmers’ Market Board of Directors is made up entirely of vendors. The current market President, Rod Bradshaw, is also the President of Beck Farms and founding member of Innisfail Growers, a cooperative that sells produce from 5 farm families located in the Innisfail area at markets throughout Alberta, including the Calgary Farmers’ Market.

Rod Bradshaw put his B.SC. Agriculture to good use, initially managing the family farm (specializing in cattle and grain) and later developing a fully-integrated carrot operation. Over the years, Rod has volunteered his time on several agriculture related boards and advisory groups and has been rewarded for his effort with the Alberta Centennial in Medal  2005 and a Gold level Premier’s Award of Excellence in 2003.

 John was born and raised on a mixed farm in The Netherlands. After university, where he studied plantscience, he started working in the research and development/ extension service department of an international Ag. company. After 17 years, a wife and four chidren richer and the farm still in his heart and mind, the family decided to emigrate to Canada. Here they started farming in the Innisfail area. The main crop they produce is potatoes (seed and table). They also grow grain as a rotation crop for the potatoes. Besides the crops they run a 75 cow/calf herd.

15 Years in Canada with no regrets, a member of Innisfail Growers Co-op, proud to be a farmer and a son that is very interested in taking part in the farm, John has a positive outlook on the family farm.

Don & Linda Christensen, Linda's Markets Gardens, Ltd

We run a market garden and bedding plant greenhouse operation along with our owm farm store selling everything directly to the consumer. We have been in business for 23 years, with the farm store in its 7th year of operation. We are located at Smoky Lake (a population of 1,000 people ) and 1.5 hours away from the Edmonton urban city.
   
We have expanded slowly over the years to  now include about 20 acres of vegetables 5 acres of strawberry and raspberries and about 10,000 ft/2 of greenhouse. Our 1,200 ft/2 farm store along with an outdoor selling area is located on a main highway. Family owned and operated along with our two children and a summer staff off 8-10 people. We are open to the public for a 6-month period each year from May 1 to Nov 1.

Bob is a 1969 graduate of the University of Guelph, with a 4-year B.Sc. Agriculture degree in horticulture.

He first worked for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) as a horticultural crop advisor in Eastern Ontario from 1969-1974 focusing on both fresh market & processing fruit & vegetable production.

In 1974 Bob moved to the Vineland Research Station, to work with OMFA in “Direct Farm Sales” (roadside marketing, Pick-Your-Own, entertainment farming, agritourism and farmers’ markets). He worked with growers throughout Ontario. This included working with the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA), an association of on-farm marketers.
 
Bob retired from OMAF in 1996. He then worked concurrently with 3 different farm groups:

1 - The North American Strawberry Growers Association (from 1996 till 1999)

2 - The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA), (from 1996 till 2004).

OFFMA has a membership of about 200. Bob helped them with their educational activities including conferences, workshops, bus tours, as well as individual on-farm consultations. As of August of 2004, he cut back his responsibilities with OFFMA to on-farm consultations with individual farms.
 
Bob helps farm marketers with: market design and layout, traffic flow outside and inside, inventory management, assessing your business's strengths and weaknesses, developing internal management systems, set-up and efficient management of a Pick-Your-Own operation, marketing approaches that are best suited to an individual farm’s type of business, pricing and record keeping.

3 - The Canadian Greenhouse Conference (from 1998 till present). Bob and his wife Donna organize a trade show and educational conference for greenhouse growers each October near Toronto Ontario. It attracts about 2,600 people each year.
 
Bob also does individual consultations with on-farm marketers in both Canada and the USA.

Bob is married to Donna Cobbledick and they have 2 amazing daughters Cheryl-29 and Laura-27.

Lori Colborne, LSL Marketing Consultants

Lori Colborne, the president of LSL Marketing Consultants, is a much sought after international keynote speaker, trainer and author of “Innovative Marketing Made EASY!”

Lori works one on one with business owners & management to create effective, innovative, marketing plans & strategies. Lori has worked with hundreds of clients from a wide range of industries including manufacturing, financial, retail, hospitality, and service. Her diverse experiences challenge her clients, audiences, and readers to think beyond their industry norm to become leaders. Lori has coached many business owners to success.

Lori’s seminars are as energizing and entertaining, as they are helpful, insightful, and practical. She also facilitates workshops and staff training for small business, corporations, business groups, and associations. 

 

Lori Colborne is a passionate, captivating, fast-paced presenter and educator who brings to her clients, audiences, and readers more than twenty years of proven marketing & business successes.

Dorene Collins, Ontario Ministry of  Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Marketing and Customer Service Program Lead
Business and Organization Management Unit – Client Services Branch
Innovation and Competitiveness Division
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) – Guelph, Ontario

Dorene has been an employee with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food for the past 25 years. Her current position involves working with farmers and related associations, particularly those involved in direct farm marketing, to develop effective and sustainable marketing and customer service initiatives.

Dorene represents the province of Ontario on the newly established Canadian Agritourism Working Group and is the OMAF representative on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association and Farmers’ Markets Ontario.

Dorene recently launched a provincial conference series: “Growing Your Opportunities” to encourage farmers to investigate emerging trends in agriculture and explore new value added marketing strategies to adapt to today’s changing agriculture and consumer markets.
 
Being raised on a farm and currently living in the country, she has a keen interest in the agri/food industry and sustainable rural communities.

James Ducs, Alberta Pork

James Ducs is the Food Service Specialist for Alberta Pork, the provincial organization serving its 1,500 hog producers. Alberta Pork’s mandate is to deliver quality products in a prosperous and sustainable environment.

James is a Red Seal Chef and has over 17 years experience in Foodservice. Prior to joining Alberta Pork in 2003 James worked as a District Sales Manager for a food distribution company and as a Chef in some of Calgary's finest restaurants. He has represented Canada in an international cooking competition as well.

James resides in Okotoks with his wife Wendy and has three children.

Elna originated from a family farm just east of Innisfail, Alberta where she was always involved in the day to day farming as well as local 4H clubs. After attending Olds College she married her long time friend and neighbor, Doug Edgar. They now own a family farm, established in 1907, located just west of Innisfail. They have a very large traditional grain and cattle farm plus over 40 acres of vegetables, all hand picked and marketed directly to consumers.

Claire Hanlon Smith, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture

Claire Hanlon Smith has worked with the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture for the past 15 years, and in the area of agri-tourism development and marketing for the past 5 years.

Claude-Jean Harel, Great Excursions Co.

Prepare yourself for a journey of discovery like no other with Great Excursions Founder Claude-Jean Harel as your guide.

An anthropologist, award-winning broadcaster and an accomplished heritage interpreter, Claude-Jean brings to the tourism industry over 20 years of experience in marketing and packaging the distinctive qualities of the North American continent.

A graduate of the Universities of Saskatchewan (Canada) and Leicester (England), C-J is a Member of the Association for Heritage Interpretation (UK/Ireland), an Affiliated Member of the French Federation Technicians and Scientists of Tourism, and the recipient of a 2005 City of Regina Municipal Heritage Award.

Claude-Jean not only crafts tourism products as reportages intended to be lived by guests, he is also a seasoned journalist and was recently appointed Associated Editor of the TOURISM family of publications published by the Canadian Tourism Commission. Claude-Jean's work has earned Columbus International Film and Video Festival and New York Festival Awards. He is a former Commonwealth Relations Trust bursar. His work was nominated for a UNESCO Award.

On the agriculture front, Claude-Jean currently writes regularly on farm, food and rural economic development issues; he delivers workshops and webminars on rural tourism and agritourism for organizations like the Canadian Farm Business Management Council, the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, the Canadian Western Agribition, the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference, the Western Colorado Horticultural Society, North Dakota State University and the Dickinson Convention and Visitors’ Bureau in North Dakota.

His company, Great Excursions, is an accredited member of ResponsibleTravel.com, a British on-line travel agent requiring that all its members adopt economic, environmental and social responsibility policies.

The 2006 editions of the British, U.S.A and Canadian Travel Industry Guides to Canada have named two Great Excursions Co. Ltd. vacation packages among the top five Canadian learning holidays. The guides, which are distributed to 72,000 travel agents, tour operators, meeting planners and industry professionals throughout the U.S.A., Britain and Canada are influential publications in the tourism trade.

Darlene Hegel, Valta Bison

Darlene and her husband, Gil, are co-owners of Valta Bison, a farm direct marketing business that they created to sell bison meat products. They are third generation farmers in the Peace Country region of northern Alberta and six years ago, Darlene and Gil diversified their grain farm to include a bison herd.

Gil and Darlene have been in business three years direct marketing their bison meat products. A major milestone for Valta Bison was becoming a vendor at Calgary Farmer’s Market when it opened in July 2004. The market provided them with the opportunity to introduce their “healthy, flavorful, alternative red meat” to a large consumer base. The introduction of bison deli products gave customers an opportunity to “try bison” by choosing a sampler item like Bison jerky sticks. In many instances this was a customer’s “first taste” of bison which led them to return for other bison products.

Doug Hennigar, Hennigar's Farm Market

After graduating from University in 1975, Doug joined his brother and father at the family farm. Doug has been a Director and President of the Nova Scotia Fruitgrowers Association. He and his wife, Heather, received the Outstanding Young Farmers of Canada award in 1991 for agricultural achievement.

Doug has also been a Director, Treasurer and President of NAFDMA and received the Outstanding Leadership Award in 2001.

Doug's farm market is located in Wolfville Nova Scotia. This is the 57th year of operation.

Aaron & Janelle Herbert, Riverbend Gardens

Janelle Herbert and her husband Aaron quit their jobs in the city to join the family farm in the spring of 2006. They, together with her Parents, produce vegetables to sell at six Edmonton and area farmers' markets. Although she has only been in buisness for one year, she has aquired many experiences on the farm and is looking forward to enjoying many more.

Inheriting his mother's love of horticulture, Jim Hole grew up in the garden. After spending his formative years on the Hole farm in St. Albert, Jim attended the University of Alberta, expanding his knowledge and earning a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in plant science. Jim appears regularly on CBC radio and television call-in shows to share what he's learned from over 30 years of hands-on experience in the greenhouse.
    
Jim's specialty is on the science within the garden—he explains what makes plants tick with a clear and concise style, without losing sight of the beauty and wonder that makes gardening worthwhile.
     
Jim writes a weekly gardening column for the Edmonton Journal and Saskatoon Star Phoenix and is the co-author, with his mother Lois Hole, of six Question & Answer books. He also edited, with his sister-in-law Valerie, Lois Hole’s award-winning book: Favorite Bulbs.
     
This prolific author’s latest writing projects include the best-selling series What Grows Here? (Volume One: Locations, Volume Two: Problems and Volume Three: Solutions). As well, Jim is the general editor of the 2006 release Hole’s Hardy Dictionary of Perennials: The Buyer’s Guide for Professionals, Collectors and Gardeners. Jim’s latest project is an addition to the What Grows Here? Series—Volume 4: Indoor Plants.

Kay Hollabaugh, Hollabaugh Bros. Inc.

Kay married into the Hollabaugh family farm corporation nearly 30 years ago. She left the medical field after the birth of their second child and now manages the business office and retail farm market.  Hollabaugh Bros. celebrated 50 years in agricultural production and marketing in 2005. With the 3rd generation now returning to the business, Kay is hopeful that the farm will see the century mark. Kay is married to Brad, has two children and one grandson. She has been involved in NAFDMA for nearly 15 years, served on the NAFDMA board, and served one year as president.
 

Sal Howell is the founder and proprietor of River Café in Calgary, Alberta. After graduating with a Fine Arts degree from Mt Allison University in 1988, Sal applied her creativity and began a career in the restaurant industry. Between 1991 and 1995, Sal developed River Café, which has now become a symbol in Canada for culinary and service excellence, helping to define the Canadian Cuisine of this prairie region. A champion of local and regional ingredients and the pleasures of eating ‘in season’, Sal is dedicated to the restaurant’s operations and has fostered an extensive network of growers and producers who supply the restaurant’s cooks and bakers with quality local ingredients. Sal is passionate about delicious food and believes in taking time to enjoy the pleasure of eating. Sal is an advocate of bio-diversity, organic and sustainable agriculture, local farmer’s markets and is involved with Slow Food.  

Join us for all or any part of our convention.
Each component is priced separately.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Feb. 12, 2007	Feb. 13, 2007	Feb. 14, 2007	Feb. 15, 2007	Feb. 16, 2007	Feb. 17, 2007
Bus Tour			All-Day Workshops	Conference Sessions & Trade Show